On September 1, 2024, the Matagorda Bay Mitigation Trust published a Request for Proposals for coastal environmental projects in five categories: habitat restoration, environmental research, public education, improving public access, and youth camps. In response to the published advertisements a total of 60 proposals, from 29 entities, totaling 27.3 million dollars, were received. Today, Steven J. Raabe, P.E., Trustee of the Matagorda Bay Mitigation Trust, announces that 31 projects, from 21 entities, totaling over 16.2 million dollars have been approved for funding. Three of the awarded projects, for major coastal restoration projects totaling 5.5 million dollars, were approved contingent upon the recipient’s raising of matching funds within three years. Raabe stated, “We are so fortunate to have received some wonderful project proposals. The selection committee had a very difficult time making their final recommendations. But we are extremely pleased with the quality, scope, and cost effectiveness of the proposals selected.” Since its inception in 2020, the MBMT has entered into contracts totaling $64.8 million dollars. “All of this makes for a very significant step forward in the mission of the Trust to research, restore and improve the Matagorda and San Antonio bays environment,” Raabe added.

The thirty-one 2024-2025 RFP projects being funded, by category, are: Habitat Restoration (Eleven projects totaling $7,459,000) Derelict Crab Trap Removal Project: Texas Mid-Coast-2026, San Antonio Bay Partnership, ($30,000) Protection and Restoration of Ayres Point Oyster Reefs: Final Engineering/Design and Bid Package Development, Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program, ($200,000) Oliver Point and Oliver Reef Restoration Project – Phase I, Matagorda Bay Foundation, ($2,000,000) Dressing Point Island Restoration Project Phase 2, Ducks Unlimited, ($2,000,000) Acquisition and Restoration of ICF’s Texas Flagship Property, International Crane Foundation, ($380,000) Little Bird Island North Permitting and Final Design, San Antonio Bay Partnership, ($443,000) Swan Point Resiliency and Restoration, Calhoun County, ($1,500,000) San Antonio & Espiritu Santo Bay Shorelines Cleanup and Reduction, San Antonio Bay Partnership, ($36,000) Habitat Restoration of the Hog and Schwing Bayou Preserve-Phase II, Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust, ($500,000) Clive Runnells Family Mad Island Marsh Preserve Management and Shoreline Protection, The Nature Conservancy, ($200,000) Cedar Bayou Maintenance Dredging Permit Amendment to Create DMPA on Matagorda Island, Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program, ($170,000) Environmental Research (Four projects totaling $1,589,918) The Status and Historical Trends of Estuarine Organisms of the Colorado-Lavaca Estuary Effects of Anthropogenic, Hydrologic, and Climate Related Influences on Species Abundance and Community Composition, Matagorda Bay Foundation, ($446,981) Managing for Gulf American Oystercatchers: Monitoring the Gulf Coast Populations and Investigating Wintering and Foraging Behaviors, Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, ($246,723) Assessment of groundwater quality and dynamics near Formosa plant and Alcoa Superfund Site, Lavaca Bay, Texas A&M University – Galveston, ($470,925) Trace element concentrations in sediment from the Alcoa (Point Comfort)/Lavaca Bay Superfund site, Texas State University, ($425,289) 2 Public Education (Four projects totaling $1,296,186): Nurdle Patrol Citizen Science Project, Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi, ($749,999)

Public Education (Four projects totaling $1,296,186): Nurdle Patrol Citizen Science Project, Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi, ($749,999) City of Port Lavaca Mid-Coast Birding Festival Boat Tours, City of Port Lavaca, ($16,250) YMCA Field Education Transportation Initiative, Calhoun County YMCA, ($465,510) Calhoun County Extension Office Truck for Public Education on Waterbodies and Surrounding Ecosystems, Calhoun County, ($64,427) Improving Public Access (Nine projects totaling $4,694,735): Expansion of King Fisher Beach Park, Calhoun County, ($480,000) Purchase of Kitchen Tract on Lavaca Bay for Conservation and Improve Public Access to the Waterfront, City of Port Lavaca, ($479,500) Port Alto Shoreline Restoration and Habitat Protection, Callhoun County, ($2,000,000) New Matagorda Harbor Boat Ramp, Port of Bay City Authority, ($338,500) Seadrift A. D. Powers Bayfront Park Improvements, City of Seadrift, ($335,000) Adopt-a-Beach: Magnolia and Indianola Beaches, Magnolia Beach VFD Auxiliary, ($15,000) City of Point Comfort – Public Access to City’s Waterfront Park & Boat Ramp, City of Point Comfort, ($457,129) Little Chocolate Bayou Park Restrooms, Calhoun County, ($249,926) King Fisher Pier Project, Calhoun County, ($339,680) Youth Camps (Three projects totaling $1,219,500): Matagorda Manana, Texas Floating Classroom, Inc., ($94,500) Port Lavaca YMCA Summer Camp, Calhoun County YMCA, ($750,000) Bay City YMCA Summer Camp, Calhoun County YMCA, ($375,000) “The significance of these projects to public access and enjoyment of the bay area cannot be overstated. In conjunction with our efforts to study and improve the bays’ environmental health, these projects will serve our state and our coastal community well,” Raabe stated.